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I am recertifying for CPR and taking the regular class rather than the recert class. The instructor asked the students what their greatest CPR fear was and an inordinant number of students said that their greatest fear was to do the CPR wrong. Some sounded as if they might do nothing rather than perform the CPR imperfectly. I was, needless to say, rather shocked.

It seems to be yet another manifestation of ego. There is such an attachment to performance that one might allow someone to remain dead rather than revive them. Okay, okay, maybe they don't realize that life or death means just that. Maybe they aren't privy to the idea that there are moments when action is more crucial than fear. Sometimes in those moments, setting aside anxiety and fear of outcome is more relevant to success than over analyzing moment to moment.

As it is true for saving a life, in emergency aid, so it is true in preserving one's own safety.

I believe that letting the mind run wild with "Why is this person attacking me? What did I do to deserve this? How could they have such hostility toward me to want to cause me harm? What if I am hurt badly, maimed, or even killed?" during the moment of no return is sure to end in folly.

Yes, do everything to disuade, prevent, divert, the hostile person before the attack happens. Do all you can to not injure them while keeping yourself safe. However, in the moment...

"Free of weakness,
No-mindedly ignore
The sharp attacks
Of your enemies:
Step in and act!"

In addition, if you out run, out blend, and outlast your 'enemy' and they happen to clutch their chest in pain, then fall over from an acute myocardial infarction, don't be attached to whether or not you will perform CPR well, just pump and blow dammit.

He he! I didn't mean that I was suggesting a place for you to learn first aid. I new you were too far away for that. I was merely citing what is available for Canadians. What is available in the States for the general public to obtain this knowledge?
Kelly

Um, I'm probably several hundred miles away from anything that charges Canadian dollars, and I've got my certifications current, except of course my CPR cert which will be current soon. It's good that you're inspired to do this. Yea!

I don't know about where you are but here St. Johns Ambulance offers a fairly comprehensive first responders first aid course for just over 100.00 CDN. This discussion has prompted me to quite procrastinating and actually take the course.
Kelly

It's interesting how much we practice the art of inflicting injury, but many of us do not know how to bandage/splint/treat an injury. What do you suppose the ratio of martial art to first aid schools there are out there?

Oh sorry! I understand now. I have been thinking for a quite a while now that I should take my first responders course. Especially now that I'm studying A martial art. Even though I think I might be alright with doing CPR, I'd feel alot less rattled about doing it in a real situation if I had formal training in it.

Uh, no that'd be a bummer. I was attempting to tie the essay by making a correlation between two important moments that one should step in and act. FWIW when the question was asked of me ('greatest CPR fear...') I said that I would have to do CPR on someone that I cared about, so doing CPR on one of my fellow aiklidoka -would- be frightening to me.

That was a very good entry! Acting "Incorrectly" in a situation or not acting at all. Until reading your post, in Aikdio I would have not acted, now I have to change that in myself. As for CPR... Always act....